Hydrocarbon steam-generator.



No. 769,901; PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1904. B. HALL.

HYDROGARBON STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4. 1903- N0 MODEL.

Witness es I a 2% I I 1% lUNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HYDROCARBON STEAM-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,901, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed August 4:, 1903.

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that LB ENJAMIN HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nevada City, in the county of Nevada and State of Cali fornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon Steam-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved hydrocarbon-burner and self-contained steam-gen erator attachment. Its object is to provide a simple apparatus which shall combine a burner and generator wherein the steam will be formed gradually, the pressure equalized, and the product supplied to the burner without the pufling, spluttering, and noise usually incident to apparatus of this type.

It consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a side elevation, partly in sec tion, of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a modification of same.

A represents an annular superheater or generator, with a central opening 2 sufficiently large to allow the discharging gases from the nozzle of burner B to pass through without interference. The under side of the generator A is provided with an inlet 3, into which a water-pipe 4 is screwed, and the entry of water into the generator is regulated by a valve 5. The shell of the generator is preferably made of copper or brass or like good heat-conductor, and the generator-chamber is filled with copper or brass scrap, wire clippings, and the like, as indicated at 6. From the top of the generator is the steam-outlet pipe 7, leading to burner B. The latter is located four or five inches rearward of the generator and is here shown as a solid block disposed vertically and bored from either end to form respective upper and lower steam and oil chambers 8 9, said chambers discharging by separate valve -'controlled passages into chamber 10. The burner-nozzle 11 screws into the latter chamber and is disposed from one to two inches, more or less, behind the Serial No. 168,133. (No model.)

generator and in axial alinement with opening 2. valve-controlled supply-pipe 12, and steampipe 7 discharges into chamber 8. The outer end of chamber 8 is closed by a suitable tap, as 13. The supply of vapor from chambers 8 and 9 to the mixing-chamber 10 is controlled by the respective inclined needle-point valves 14 15, seating in the outlet-passages of the first-named chambers.

C represents the front wall of an assayers furnace, to which for purpose of illustration I have here shown my invention applied, though it will be obvious that it may be used with furnaces of any general construction. The front 0 is cut away sufficiently to receive the generator, which is adapted to present its front face to the radiated heat within the furnace. When operations are first started and before the generator is heated up, a small quantity of gasolene is placed in a cup 16, suitably supported relative to opening 2 and lighted, the oil turned on, and sprayed through opening 2 into the furnace. The draft of the spraying oil carries the gasolene flame through opening 2 and against the generator, soon to heat up the latter and igniting the volatile oil in the furnace. In a few minutes the generator has become hot enough to warrant water being admitted into it to be transformed into steam, and thenceforth the proper admixture of steam and oil to produce the desired flame is regulated by the burner-valves 14 15. Heretofore it has been usual to construct generators for this purpose of pipe disposed in the direct path of the flame from the burner. Thetendency in all such generators is for the water to flash, as it were, into steam the moment it strikes the hot metal, resulting in a continuous series of puffs and throbs at the burner and causing an unsteadiness in the flame. In the present case the scrap filling 6, before mentioned, distributes the heat throughout the entire generating-chamber. The water is more gradually converted into steam than where it comes in contact with the bare walls of an empty chamber and while Oil is fed into chamber 9 through the freely percolating through the metal filling is prevented from exerting any sudden or unusual pressure in the burner. The generator thus becomes also a pressure-regulator.

It is important that water should enter at the lowest point of the generator and circulate upward on each side.

It is preferred that the filling should be of copper or brass or like good heat-conducting non-rusting metal. Iron is not suitable, as it becomes so quickly oxidized and packs together, forminga poor conductor and choking the flow. Mineral, such as fine gravel or the like, is not suitable, for on being heated and then coming in contact with water it becomes rapidly disintegrated and clogs up the burner.

This generator, it is noted, is not placed in the path of the flame. The vapor charge passes through opening 2 and is ignited within the furnace, and the radiated heat from the incandescent interior is sufficient to heat the generator to a high degree of temperature. Suflicient air to effect perfect combustion is drawn into the furnace through opening 2 along with the oil and steam. The steam formed in generator A is delivered to the burner in a perfectly dry condition.

Should scale form in the generator, the filling may be removed, cleaned, and replaced at any time by disconnecting the generator and emptying and recharging through inlet 3.

The generator is capable of assuming a variety of forms and shapes, maintaining always the principle of a foraminous metallic packing. For example, in Fig. 2 is shown a modification of the invention, wherein the generator A consists of a vertically-disposed pipe against the inside of the furnace-front, where it will receive the radiated heat, and having a water-inlet at the bottom and a steamdischarge at the top, the intermediate space being filled with copper-wire scrap or equivalent heat-cond1icting metallic filling permeable to watercand steam and serving as a cushion: to equalize pressure at the burner.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a furnace-chamber,

of a steam-generator in the form of a shallow disk vertically disposed and whose horizontal length is less than the verticalheight said generator placed flatwise in the wall of the furnace-chamber whereby its rear wall is directly exposed to the heat of said chamber, and having a central opening through its minor axis through which the combustible vapors are delivered to the furnace and therein ignited, means for delivering water into the lower part of the generator and a steam-pipe leading from the upper end thereof whereby the water is caused to flow in a vertical plane and slowly come in contact with the vertical inner walls of the generator, a burner having valve-controlled oil and steam passages, and a nozzle connecting with said passages and standing axially in line with the opening through the generator.

2. The combination with afurnace-chamber, of a generator of the form of a shallow disk whose horizontal length is less than the vertical height said generator let into the wall of the furnace and having its rear wall exposed to the heat of the furnace, said generator containing a filling and having a central opening through its minor axis of suflicient size to freely admitthe combustible vapors tothefurmace-chamber beyond, a water-pipe entering the lower part of the generator, a steam-pipe leading from the upper part of the generator, a burner having valve-controlled oil and steam passages, and anozzle connecting with the passages and standing axially in line with the opening through the generator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN HALL.

Witnesses:

K. R. MERNIN, FRED SEARLs. 

